362 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
parts, is conveyed, and fupplles the monks with water for 
a great portion of the year. 
The beft view of Jerufalem is from the Mount of Olives, on 
the Eaft of the city. In front is the chief mofque, which con- 
tains, according to the tradition of the Mohammedans, the body 
of Solomon. From the fame mount may be difcovered, in 
a clear day, the Dead fea^ nearly South-eaft, reflecting a whitifh 
gleam. The intervening region appears very rocky. 
The tombs of the kings^ fo denominated, are worthy of re- 
mark, being of Grecian fculpture on a hard rock. There are 
feveral ornaments on the farcophagi of foliage and flowers, and 
each apartment is fecured with a mafllive panneled door of ftone. 
Great ravages have been made here in fearch of treafure. Thefe 
tombs have probably been confl:rud:ed in the time of Herod and 
his fucceflTors kings of Judea. 
A very confiderable part of the inhabitants is Chrifl;ian, be- 
tween whom and the Muflims there exifls all that infernal 
hatred which two divinely revealed religions can alone infpire. 
At about the diftance of two hours, or fix miles, fl:ands Beth- 
lehem, in a country happy in foil, air, and water. The latter is 
conveyed in a low aquedu($t or flone channel, which formerly 
pafl!ed to Jerufalem. The fons fignatus is an exuberant fpring : 
it is received fuccefllvely by three large cifterns, one of which 
is well preferved. In coming from the cifterns, and at a fmall 
diftance is feen what is termed the delicice Solomonis^ a beautiful 
rivulet 
